The Care and Feeding of Tech Shirts

I remember when I got my first technical running shirt. I used to save it for "special" runs, ones that were particularly long and/or hot, where the fabric’s wicking capabilities would be especially useful and appreciated.

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Since then, my wardrobe has grown to the point that the dresser drawer is overflowing with tech shirts, and the only time I’ll wear a cotton T-shirt to run is if I’ve forgotten to pack anything else in my bag.

Yes, technical clothing has transformed the way I, and many others, dress to run, and has made workouts in hot, humid conditions, if not enjoyable, at least bearable and survivable.

Still, while they might deserve the sobriquet of "miracle" fibers, they’re not perfect. If there’s one complaint about many of the new garments, it’s that, to put it bluntly, they stink. Leave one in your gym bag for a few hours and you’ll think an entire high school football team has left their uniforms, or at least their odor, in there too.

As it turns out, the very attributes that make technical fabrics such winners at wicking moisture away from an athlete’s body is what can make them virtual magnets for body odors, too.

The Wicking Conundrum

One of the first technical fabrics was CoolMax, which was made of yarns constructed with tiny microscopic notches that grabbed sweat and moved it from the inner layer of the garment next to the skin to the outer surface, where it could evaporate more easily. That part of the equation worked well, according to Craig Vanderoef, apparel product manager for Brooks Running. "But those nooks and crannies were also a perfect place for bacteria to collect, and when you reintroduced moisture and warmth the next time the garment was worn, they came back to life and multiplied like crazy."

Fabrics have evolved in the intervening years and now the better garments use a closed knot yarn that reduces the number of microscopic hiding places for sweaty bacteria. "Basically, you get what you pay for," says Vanderoef, noting that entry level tech garments will use a less highly finished fabric that is more susceptible to odor retention.

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Many of these garments are treated with a chemical finish that facilitates wicking, but that eventually washes off. Improper laundering only exacerbates the process, according to Vanderoef. "It deteriorates exponentially if you use fabric softener," he says, a trick many runners use to mask odors. "The ideal product is a ‘clean soap,’ something with no surfectants, that rinses clean," he continues. "Moisture transfer is hurt by dirt." The baseline product used in garment industry tests is Tide powder, but Vanderoef also recommends products specifically formulated for laundering technical fabrics like Sport-Wash by Atsko or Penguin, or Granger’s tech detergent. "Every garment comes with a care and laundering tag or label," he says, "and following those recommendations will extend their life and technical properties."

Among these is something many runners shy away from: tossing their clothes in the dryer. "It’s actually good for them," says Vanderoef, noting that the proper heat setting must be adhered to. "A cycle in the dryer renews the outer layer treatments on jackets, and ‘tightens’ stretchy lycra-based garments. Tights and jogbras benefit from being put in the dryer."

In the immediate future, the gold standard in technical gear would appear to be silver, which many companies are incorporating into their high-end products as an odor inhibitor (silver kills 99 percent of the bacteria it comes in contact with), and, in the case of Brooks, as a thermoconductor to regulate body temperature. "We’re starting to see yarns where the chemical treatments are being bound into the yarn, so they’re non-migratory," says Chandler Parker, apparel manager for ASICS. Yarns based on nylon, rather than the currently predominant polyester, are also in development. The good thing about this for runners is there is a trickle-down effect, so this year’s high-end technology may be appearing in entry level gear in a season or two.

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One thing is certain: as long as runners keep sweating, manufacturers will keep tweaking design elements and keep searching for new and better yarns and fabrics that will truly deserve the title of "miraculous."

This women’s-only shirt is made from Vector Stretch, an open air architecture fabric that creates a cooling environment next to the skin. The inner face of the fabric is made up of micro pockets that lift the garment away from the skin to increase airflow, while at the same time facilitating moisture transfer due to the increased surface area. The seven percent Spandex makes the garment especially form-fitting; therefore, it’s made using Smart Seams construction, which strategically offsets the seam to increase movement and reduce chafing. In spite of the airy openness of the fabric, the shirt is surprisingly non-transparent.

This featherweight shirt is made from Holofiber®, a fabric that’s claimed to increase stamina and accelerate muscle recovery. It contains millions of microscopic lenses that narrow the bandwidth of ambient light to a wavelength that can activate mitochondria in the body tissues, allowing cells to create more oxygen. Whether that’s true or not, you’ll definitely be cool in this shirt; the already breathable fabric is augmented by mesh panels on the sides and back for increased ventilation. A zippered pocket on the front is big enough to hold energy gels or bars, as well as a key, ID, or spare cash.

This shirt from women’s-only manufacturer Isis is made with a lightweight fabric constructed with a slight honeycomb pattern. This makes it sit up slightly higher, not in full contact with the skin, to aid in wicking moisture to the outer layer. A small amount of Lycra provides a degree of form fitting. The shirt comes in two different prints and three solid colors.

Besides the usual challenge of moisture transfer, ASICS’ Reflect garments address the issue of UV rays from the sun. "All fabrics provide some protection, darks more than lights," says ASICS apparel manager Chandler Parker. "That’s reduced when they get wet—a white cotton T-shirt goes down to almost nothing." To combat this problem, Reflect garments are made from a yarn that’s treated to provide a UV rating of 40+ even when wet. The pique knit adds to this protection while enhancing airflow.

If you favor the casual look and feel of a regular T-shirt over the form-fitting cut of most technical garments, whether because of fashion or physique, the Sport Science line may be just your technical ticket. The Smarter Basics dri-release® polyester fabric is blended with 15 percent cotton to give it a softer hand and allow for normal laundering. Since the moisture transfer technology is built into the fabric rather than being applied, it should be just as effective after 100 washes. The tie-dyed version will look as much at home at a road race as a Grateful Dead tribute concert, while the available basic colors feel comfortable just about anywhere.

This shirt embodies the latest trend in technical garments: engineering the fabric to enhance moisture transfer capability. The Pulse fabric is 100 percent engineered jacquard denier gradient moisture transfer polyester. What that means is that the thickness of the threads used to make the shirt vary to create a pattern that increases moisture transfer and convection in high heat and perspiration areas. Designed to mimic the body’s physiology, the Pulse strives to achieve Brooks’ goal of thermal equilibrium for runners.

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